Pour spout dispensing carton



Dec. 16, 1969 M. M. 'sTl-:RNAU

POUR SPOUT DISPENSING GARTONA Filed oct. 21, 196e 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I NVEN TOR. /V/f/Pr//v M iff/PNA@ nited States Patent O 3,484,034 PUURSPOUT DSPENSING CARTON Martin M. Sternau, Flushing, NX., assigner ofthirtythree and one-third percent to Leo Stranger, Surnmit, NJ.

Filed Get. 21, 1966, Ser. No. 593,611 Int. Cl. 136511 25/46 US. Cl.229-7 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DTSCLSURE A tab projects integrallydownward from an upstantiing iiap defined by partly-penetratingperforations following an inverted U-shape in the wall of a container.The ap conforms in shape to the central portion of a channel shaped drumthat is secured by its central portion to the flap at the inside of thecontainer.

This invention relates to boxes for dispensing granular material, andparticularly to such boxes as dispense granular material through a spoutthat is opened with a tab as illustrated in U.S. Patent No. 3,237,835issued Mar. 1, 1966.

Such channel-shaped spouts have tabs projecting from the center portionof the channel so that a user by grasping the tab can open and close thebox by operating the spout. These spouts assure sanitary handling of thespout. However, they frequently permit the granular material to siftthrough slits formed in the box when the spout is manufactured,especially at points where the channel passes into the box. Moreoverboxes with such spouts are difficult to manufacture. Such spouts arealso sometimes difficult to open and put a strain on the tab.

An object of this invention is to improve boxes for dispensing granularmaterials.

Another object is to improve methods and means for manufacturing suchboxes.

Still another object is to eliminate the abovementioned deficiencies ofsuch boxes and their manufacturing methods.

Yet another object is to avoid undesired sifting of material from suchboxes and simplify manufacturing procedures for such boxes.

Still another object is to minimize the effort to open the spout and tominimize the strain on the tab.

To these ends, and according to a feature of the invention, a box forpouring granular material is completed by attaching the center portionof a channel-shaped spout member to the inside of the box, perforatingthe box about three sides of the center portion of the channel-shapedspout, and within the perforated area cutting a tab which a user cangrasp. By pushing in the perforated area a user can form aspout-carrying, hinged flap which he can pull out of the box by the tab.Preferably the perforations penetrate the box only partially and glueattaches the spout member to the iiap. This keeps the box completelyintact during shipping. Preferably the perforations are aligned in theshape of an arch so as to conform to a thumb or finger shape that pushesin the perforated area.

According to another feature of the invention, the tab forms a U-shapeextending in a direction opposite to the arch of the flap. The tab thenhinges as far as possible away from the flap hinge. This reduces theforce and hence strain on the tab required to open the iiap and spout.

According to still another feature of the invention the spout member isapplied to the box after the latter is folded while at the same time theperforation and tab are cut. This is done according to other features ofthe invention with a plier like device or with a pair of mated andmoving drums, one carrying the spout member and the other carrying acutting tool. According to still another CJI 3,484,034 Patented Dec. 16,1969 feature of the invention a staple is simultaneously added whileattaching the spout member.

These and other features of the invention are pointed out in the claims.Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from thefollowing description of embodiments of the invention when read in lightof the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of a box with a spout, embodyingfeatures of the invention and showing the spout in open position;

FIG. 2 is section of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partial section of the box in FIG. 1 showing the spoutbefore the box is opened and used;

FIG. 4 is a partial perspective of the box shown by the section of FIG.3;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the interior of FIGS. 3 and 4;

FIG. 6 is a perspective partly schematic view of an apparatus embodyingfeatures of the invention for manufacturing the box of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a detail of the apparatus in FIG.6;

FIGS. 8 and 9 are schematic representations of another apparatus, shownin two positions, for manufacturing the box of FIG. l according to theinvention;

FIGS. 10, 11 and 12 are partial plan, front elevation, and sideelevation views respectively of another embodiment of the box in FIG. 1;and

FIG. 13 is a partial section showing an apparatus, embodying features ofthe invention, for manufacturing the box of FIGS. l0, 11 and 12.

In FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, a rectangular cardboard box or carton 10,containing material to be poured, integrally carries an arch shaped iiap12 hinged outwardly along a line 14 on a sideface 16. The ap 12 is tornfrom the sideface 16 along perforations and leaves an arch shapedopening 18. Glued to the interior face of the ap 16 is the centersection 20 0f a chute-shaped channel 22 integrally possessing sectorlike wings 24 and 26 extending through the opening 18 into the box 10.The channel 22 may be made from cardboard, metal, paper or plastic, suchas polyethylene with suflicient resilience to bias the wings 24 and 26against the vertical edges of the opening 18. The invention alsocontemplates a pair of vertical slits extending upwardly from verticaledges of the opening 1S and aligned with these edges. The slits receivethe circular edges of the wings 24 and 26 to guide them near theirperipheries so as to maintain their angular orientation relative to thecentral portion 20 as the flap 16 and channel 22 are articulated aboutline 14. The wings 24 and 26 may also be kept against the vertical edgesby bosses that extend into the channel from the box 16. Extendingdownwardly and integrally from the central section 20 and also securedagainst the interior of sideface 16 is a rectangular reinforcing strip23. Stops 39 and 32 at the ends of respective wings 24 and 26 define theextent to which the iiap 12 and channel 22 may be articulated outward.An extension 34 of the central portion can be bent inwardly to serve asa locking means for keeping the fiap 12 closed.

Projecting integrally from the iiap 12 is a tab 38. The latter is formedby cutting a tongue shaped tab in the flap and bending it outwardly toarticulate the spout assembly formed by the iap 12 and the chute-shapedchannel 22 about the hinge line 14 against and toward the box 10. A usergrasps the tab 38 and either pulls or pushes according to the desiredmovement. The spout assembly may be completely closed by pushing theextension 34 into the opening 18 locking the spout assembly as shown inFIG. 3. FIG. 2 shows the box 10 with the spout assembly open.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show the box 10* before it is opened. Perforations 40extend partly through the sideface 16 along the arch that defines theflap 12. For simplicity in assembly the channel 11 appears unfolded atagainst the interior of the sideface 16 in butterfly fashion. Thechannel 22 is weakened along lines 42 to establish fold lines.

A user of a new box first lifts the eut-out downwardly extending tab 38to permit its being grasped and make it assume an outward position. Theuser then presses inwardly with a finger or preferably a thumb againstthe flap portion outlined by the perforations whose arch alignmentconforms approximately to the thumb shape until the material breaksalong the perforations d and forms the ap 12 as well as the opening 18.The user now grasps the inwardly leaning flap, which carries thechute-shaped channel, by means of the tab 38 and pulls the flap andspout assembly outward into the desired position. During this outwardmovement the fiat-lying wings 24 and 26 shown in FIG. as they are drawnoutwardly against the vertical edges of opening 18 fold along theweakened lines 42 into the shape in FIG. l. The resilience of thechannel 22 keeps the wings 24 and 26 biased against these verticaledges. If necessary the user can guide or snap the circular portion ofwings 24 and 26 into suitable slits in the box sideface 16. When a userpulls the spout assembly with its wings 24 and 26 folded and biasedagainst the vertical edges of opening 18 to the position of FIG. l, boxcan be tilted and the contents poured.

The box 1@ with the spout assembly can be manufactured by horizontallypassing flat cardboard stock, with glue applied to the flap area 18,past a horizontal-axis drum that pneumatically picks up individually cutand weakened spout blanks and by rotating presses them against the gluedarea. The box is then cut to shape, folded and glued. Preferably theWingspan of the channel 22, that is the total overall fiat width of thechannel 22 is less than the interior width of sideface 16. Such a methodcorresponds to that shown in copending application Ser. No. 563,508,filed July 7, 1966. However here it is unnecessary to pass a tab througha slot during application of the channel. By making the channel Wingspanshorter than the interior box width the channel can remain flat as inFIG. 5 when the box is folded. Otherwise the spout blanks must be atleast partly folded along lines 42 before the box 10 is folded.

According to the invention the spout blank may be applied after foldingand gluing the box 10.

This is accomplished as shown in FIG. 6. Here the box is folded andglued in the folding apparatus 49. Then a plier shaped applicator 50presses a glue-carrying spout blank 52 held on its inner arm 54 againstthe interior surface of the sideface 16 on the box 10. A cutting block56 at the end of the arm 58 presses against the outside. The block S67whose details appear in FIG. 7, cuts the tab 38 with a U-shaped knifeprojection 60 and forms the arch-aligned perforations 40 by means ofconical points 62, that are long enough only to penetrate partly intothe sideface 16.

The applicator 5G is automatically opened and closed as well as moved upand down to grasp successive boxes 1t) by vertically reciprocatingmachinery 64. The latter is time-coupled to a suitableintermittently-moving belt 65 that stops each successive box 10 beneaththe applicator 5t). For improved adhesion of the channel glue heatingmeans in the arm S4 can be added.

The channel 22 may also be applied, after folding the box in apparatus49, by means of two drums 76 and 72 that roll back and forth between thepositions shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 as a box 1d stops in its intermittentlateral movement on a belt (not shown). A pneumatically energized bore74 draws a blank for the channel 22 into a mating recess 76 from a stock78 of blanks. A glue applicator Sil applies glue to the center section26 of the channel 22 as the drum 70 rolls past it. The drum 70 appliesthe channel when it reaches the position of FIG. 9 and the pneumaticdrawing power in the bore 74 releases the blank. A cutting block 32having a concave surface but otherwise corresponding to the block 56 ofFIG. 7 cuts CII the perforations 4G and the tab 38 outline. For improvedadhesion of the channel to the box the drum 76 possesses glue heatingmeans.

The invention furnishes a box which holds granular material without thedanger of material sifting out.

The invention also contemplates applying a reinforcing staple S3 asshown in FIGS. l0, 11 and 12. This is accomplished by apparatus similarto FIG. 9. A staplerarm opening 84 and a U-shaped stapler-stack tunnel86 is added in the block 56 of FIG. 7. The staple application isaccomplished with application of the channel 22 as shown in FIG. 13. Aspring 88 forces a staple stack down into the path of a stapler arm 943Vthat drives the lower staple through the box 1t? and channel 22 into astapleclosing recess 92. The arm 96 is also operated by the apparatus64.

While embodiments of the invention have been shown in detail it will beobvious to those skilled in the art that the invention may be embodiedotherwise without departing from its spirit and scope.

What is claimed is:

1. A container for granular material comprising, a plurality of walls,one of said walls being weakened for breaking along a line forming theshape of a flap integrally hinged at the one of said walls, a spoutblank including a central section secured to the one of said walls alongsaid flap, said spout blank having side wings which when bent transverseto said central section form a channel shape therewith, said wall havinga tab integrally hinged therefrom in the portion defined by said ap,said tab being of sucient size to be easily grasped between the ngers ofa user for moving the Hap and spout blank elative to the walls when thewall with said line is broken along the line, said blank being securedto the inside ot said one of said walls, said tab being narrower thansaid Hap and being composed wholly of material within the borders ofsaid flap including the hinge formed at said hinged portion.

2. A container as in claim 1, wherein said line along which said one ofsaid walls is weakened is arch shaped to conform to the shape of a usersfinger so that a user can break said wall at said line by pressinginwardly, and wherein said spout has an extension projecting beyond thearch shaped line for holding said spout in closed condition.

3. A container as in claim 1 wherein said tab is cut out of Said Flap,and wherein said tab and said flap project in opposite directions whensaid tab lies in the plane of said ap, so that the hinged portion ofsaid tab is more remote from the hinged portion of the flap than is theremainder of the tab.

4. A container as in claim 1 wherein staple means pass through saidcentral section and the flap near the tab where said tab is hinged forreinforcing the tab.

5. A container as in claim 1, wherein said weakening forms a solidundivided barrier to contents within the container so as to make theweakened line sift-proof.

6. A container as in claim S, wherein said line along which one of saidwalls is weakened is arch shaped to conform the line to the shape of ausers finger so that a user can break said wall at said line by pressinginwardly, said line when broken forming bearing surfaces for said wingswhen said ap is pulled lwith said spout blank.

7. A container comprising, a plurality of walls, a spout bendable into achannel shape, said spout having a substantially rectangular centerportion with an extension on its lower end and wine shaped sideportions, said center portion being secured to the inside of one of saidwalls, said one of said walls having partially penetrating perforationsfollowing an inverted `U-conliguration and conforming substantially tothe width and the lengt of the center portion and adapted to be torn toallow said spout to hinge outwardly along a line where said extensionjoins said center portion and through an openataipst ing dened by saidperforations, a tab of substantially rectangular congnration cut fromone of said -walls in the area surrounded by said partially penetratingperforations, said tab being free to hinge outwardly, said tab whenlying in the plane from which it is cut in the iiap portion of said wallprojecting toward the end of the YLl-eoniiguration which is open, saidcenter portion covering` the opening eut out by said tab to render theopening sift proof, said partially penetrating perforations beingsubstantially impenetrable to material in the container.

S. A container comprising, a plurality of walls, a spout endable into achannel shape, said spout having a su'ostantially rectangular centerportion with an extension on its lower end and wing shaped sideportions, said center portion being secured to the inside of one of saidwalls, said one of said walls having partially penetrating perforationsfollowing an inverted U-coniiguration and conforming substantially tothe width and the length of the center portion and adapted to be torn toallow said spout to binge outwardly along a line where said extensionjoins said center portion and through an opening deiined by saidperfor-ations, a tab of substantially rectangular configuration cut fromone of said walls in the area surrounded by said partially penetratingperforations, said tab being free to hinge outwardly, said tab whenlying in the plane from which it is cut in the ap portion of said wailprojecting toward the end of the U-configuration which is open, saidcenter portion covering the opening cut out by said tab to render theopening sift proof, said partially penetrating perforations beingsubstantially impenetrable to material in tbe container, said spouthaving a second extension projecting beyond the inverted U-coniigurationfor holding said spout in closed position.

Reerenecs ifCited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 2,146,226 2/ 939 Punte 229-512,332,153 10/193 Levin 222-534 2,546,052 3/1951 Wilkins 229-7 2,820,5851/1958 Nerenberg et al. 229-17 3,237,835 3/1966 Sternau. 3,344,97210/1967 Robinson et al. 229-17 DAVIS T. MOORHEAD, Primary Examiner U.S.C1. X.R. 222-531

